General kit advice

wonkyrabbit

wonkyrabbit

Messages
8
Name
Dawn
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi all, I'm looking for a bit of advice on what sort of kit I should be looking to upgrade to...

I've been doing ad hoc bits of photography work for a couple of years (while also being a full-time mum to twins!) but I've only recently decided to try to go pro full-time. Until now I have just been doing family photo shoots but have started to get some work doing interiors and also commercial stuff. I have no formal training and am still very inexperienced.

I have been using the following kit... Canon EOS 500D + bundled EFS 18-55mm + EFS 55-250mm + Canon 50mm prime f1.8 II + Canon Speedlite 430EX II (on loan from a friend) + Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 DC HSM (also on loan). Now I am starting to do some more commercial stuff I'm really starting to feel it's limitations. In particular, I am finding that noise is a problem and general sharpness. The focus speed seems a bit slow and inaccurate (or is that just me!) and while the Speedlight is brilliant in certain situations, I have had shoots where it is almost useless (high and dark ceilings etc.) and have therefore really struggled with action shots.

As I am just starting out I have a very limited budget. I would ideally like to get a good basic kit that I can expand on in the future. I would love to get a camera with a full-frame sensor but I know this puts the price up a lot. I'm guessing its worth every penny? I am happy to buy second-hand but not sure how something higher-end a few years ago compares with something lower-end now?

Any suggestions welcome!

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Although you've stated that your budget is limited it would be easier to state exactly what your budget is as everyone's definition of limited will differ.
 
Sorry Mike, by limited I mean around £800-£1200 initially, but if more is required to get a kit that is suitable I would be prepared to hold-fire and save for a bit longer.
 
Have you thought about trading in your current gear to buy some new (used) equipment which would increase your budget a bit, especially if you are buying from the same dealer like mpb photographic. If you were to go full frame, you would have to replace your EF-S lenses. My advice would be go for prime lenses like you 50mm, the 18-55 and 55-250 are probably the reason why you're struggling, neither of these are fast lenses. You could look at the 5D MKI as a full frame body, it would fit into you budget of a camera body and some decent prime lenses.
 
Whilst I am by no means an expert, I wouldn't get too pigeon-holed into the way of thinking that full frame is the only way. You can still get exceptionally good photos out of a crop sensor camera, and as you have alluded to, full frame is a fairly major step up in price. What exactly is it that you are finding limits you in your current kit?

IMO, you could get some faster EF mount lenses (second hand) then they will be ready if in the future you move to full frame. Also, if you are doing interior work and portraiture, some more studio oriented lighting may be worth looking at as well?

Entertaining but thought provoking clip on Crop vs FF. Quite a bit tongue in cheek but still worth a watch!
 
Say you could sell your existing camera, kit lens and 55-250 for 300, this would give you £1,500 to play with.

For this you could get new canon 6d + 24-105mm f4L (grey import from panamoz) and maybe a 70-200 f4L (second hand). However you would be able to use the sigma 10-20 you are borrowing (doesn't work on full frame).

Alternatively if you were to stay crop, you could get something like
60d £325
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 £160
Canon 70-200 f4L £320

You'd then still have enough left over to get your own sigma 10-20 and flash.

You'd possibly also be able to stretch to a tamron 70-200 f2.8 VC (if you go for grey import)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top